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Happy birthday Delhi

Mariellen — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 23:00:32 +0000

Lodhi Garden, New Delhi

Delhi turns 100 as capital of India

The anniversary in Delhi is greeted with mixed feelings, but not by me

When I was getting ready to travel to India the first time, back in 2005, I had several friends warn me: “You won’t like Delhi. It’s crowded, it’s polluted, the people are aggressive, you will be pestered to distraction.” I’d heard lots of stories about Pahar Ganj, the grubby “traveler’s ghetto;” the challenges of buying tickets and arranging any kind of transportation; the scams and the con artists; the crowds and chaos.

However, my first morning in Delhi, I walked out into the warm, December sunshine, on the big, white marble terrace of my friend’s home in South Delhi and was greeted by the family, who offered me breakfast. Later, a man arrived with a huge bundle of gorgeous shawls and fabrics, and I sat on the terrace drinking tea, with the ladies of the family and shopped. It was all very civilized and I felt I had arrived in heaven, not the hell that I was promised.

That’s when my love affair with Delhi began, and it has never ended — though I have had my moments of frustration and annoyance, like everyone else; and witnessed heart-breaking scenes of poverty at the side of the road.

Pink sunset at Qutab Minar, Delhi

Celebrating the city

On December 12, 1911, during a magnificent durbar on the outskirts of Delhi, King George V proclaimed that the capital of the British Raj would be moved from Kolkata to Delhi. For the next 20 years, the new city of New Delhi was built, under the leadership of visionary architect Sir Edwin Lutyens.

So, while the anniversary of Delhi is greeted with mixed feelings by Indians — who are usually not keen to celebrate anything the British Raj created — I am quietly celebrating my home-away-from home — the city that greeted me so hospitably when I first arrived in Delhi, and continues to be my beloved home base in India. I have written about Delhi several times on Breathedreamgo. This is a blog about enjoying the cultural Delights of Delhi. And this is scenes from my South Delhi neighbourhood.

In an article about New Delhi at the time of the city’s inauguration, in 1931 (New Delhi, The First Impression) the very talented travel writer Robert Byron wrote, “The surprise which awaits the traveler on his first view of the imperial capital will be proportionate to the fixity of his previous ideas about it.” This was certainly true for me; no one told me that New Delhi is also beautiful. And gracious, historical, cultural, green, spacious and a paradise for shoppers and foodies.

To find out how to spend a day in New Delhi — the planned city the British built — read my story in the Toronto Star: Aging Gracefully: New Delhi at 100. And read on to discover my top 10 favourite things to do in Delhi.

Jama Masjid, Old Delhi

My top 10 favourite things about Delhi:

soft mornings and pink sunsets
the inspired and majestic symmetry of the planned city of New Delhi
the profusion of green: leafy enclaves, tree-lined boulevards, gracious gardens, lush parks, verdant historical sites
shopping! at Khan Market, Lajpat Nagar, Hauz Khas, Karol Bagh, South Extension, Janpath, Sunder Nagar, Greater Kailash 1 M- and N-Block markets, Aurobindo Market, etc.
ancient historical treasures, especially Red Fort, Humayun’s Tomb and Qutab Minar
modern historical treasures, especially India Gate, Gandhi Smirti and Raj Ghat
spiritual Delhi, especially Lotus Temple, Sivananda Centre in Kailash Colony, ISKCON temple, and the tiny, ancient Shiv Mandir in Panch Shila Park
food glorious food — from mini-tiffin at Saravana Bhavan in Janpath to dining at one of the world’s most beautiful restaurants, Spice Route at the Imperial Hotel; from chic watering holes like Olive to paneer tikka to go
strolling in Lodhi Garden
having chai with my Indian family on the marble terrace in South Delhi

I could go on, there are many things I love about Delhi. And though the city is actually thousands of years old, and has been the capital of at least seven kingdoms, I will take this moment to wish the city and it’s 14 million inhabitants happy anniversary anyway. I miss you! Please save me some cake.

Join the fun on Twitter and let us all know what you love about Delhi / Dilli: #whatiloveaboutdilli

shopping at Karol Bagh Market, Delhi

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How to celebrate Diwali in India

Mariellen — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 04:25:46 +0000

Photo courtesy San Sharma

Happy Diwali!

How to enjoy the Festival of Lights

Diwali means “rows of lighted lamps” and it is also called the Festival of Light. It is the most enthusiastically celebrated festival in India — which is saying a lot! Diwali is the equivalent of Christmas — a big, festive celebration that brings families together and is the highlight of the holiday season. There are five days of festivities, each marked with different pujas (prayers) and rituals.

I love Diwali, and though I have only spent one Diwali in India, I remember it fondly. I went shopping with Ajay’s mother for gifts, decorations, flowers and sweets a few days before, and on the morning of Diwali she had me decorating the family mandir before my eyes were completely open. Later, I helped fill hundreds of small diyas with oil and wicks, and then place and light them around the terrace and down the stairs, etc. In the early evening we had a puja in the mandir, which was my favourite part of the entire day. And at night, we joined the millions of other Delhi-ites blasting fireworks and firecrackers into the night sky. It was deafening and created hazardous smog, but I appreciated the gusto with which people were celebrating.

There are lots of other places to celebrate Diwali in India; read on for some suggestions culled from Breathedreamgo Twitter and Facebook friends.

The meaning of Diwali

The festival celebrates the triumph of good over ill, and the ascendancy of light over dark. The diyas symbolize this, and also help light the way for Rama’s return from exile, after rescuing his wife Sita and vanquishing the demon Ravana, with the help of Hanuman. This is the drama played out in the Hindu epic, The Ramayana, which is one of the major texts underpinning Hinduism and Indian culture (along with the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Mahabharat).

Where to go to celebrate Diwali in India

I have only celebrated Diwali in Delhi, but I know festivities occur all over the country. I asked my Twitter followers and Facebook friends where to go to celebrate Diwali, and this is what they came back with.

Twitter 

protectwildlife Varanasi. All the ghats are decorated and lit up with oil lamps, its a spectacular sight. A night to remember in the ancient town.

YogeshMali: Home is where the heart is, and also the best place to celebrate Diwali.

 AboutIndia’s Sharell Cook: For Diwali, Jaipur has amazing lights and Goa has burning of demon effigies. (Here’s a link to About India’s Diwali in Goa post.)

Facebook

Roma: Jaipur is awesome during Diwali as the different markets and plaza compete for the “Best Decorated” award. I have also visited Golden Temple, Sri Harmandir Sahib, in Amritsar, which is again a treasure of a Diwali memory as they put out thousands of earthen pots.

Deepa Krishnan of Delhi Magic and Mumbai Magic: It’s not a ‘public’ festival. There are places where you can get glimpses if you are tourist; like for example in Mumbai if you go to Shivaji Park in the evening you will see people of the neighbourhood bursting crackers. But that’s about it. The celebration is mostly indoors. I put my guests in homestays, if they come for Diwali or Holi; that way they can experience the festival.

Photographer Sunil Vaidyanathan: In the potters village of Kumbhar Wada in Dharavi, Mumbai.

Ram Vakkalanka: Indian festivals have deep spiritual significance, apart from the celebratory/fun aspect. They almost always involve performing Puja to one of the Deities. Most of the time, they are celebrated at home with family and friends in a Satsang-type of celebration. Of course, India is also catching up with US, with retailers celebrating the festivals more vigorously than people themselves.

Lachman Balanai: After the puja (prayer) to Goddess Lakshmi (to bless your home with wealth and prosperity) or Ganesh, it is always good to get together with your extended family and have fun. Gifts are exchanged and love is shared. It’s all very cool. Everyone shares their interpretation of the Ramayana. Diwali is the festival that unites all of India, like New Year’s unites all of the world. It is in fact our New Year, where old account books are closed and new ones opened. Fireworks are lit. Warm feelings all around.

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How to use the toilet in India

Mariellen — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 03:19:19 +0000

Indians don’t use toilet paper

Learn how to use an “eastern latrine” from Wilbur

If you want to learn how to use an Indian toilet, and have a good laugh too, watch this hilarious video from Wilbur Sargunaraj. If you travel in India, you may find you actually need this information: Aside from modern homes and high-end hotels, most of the toilets in India are holes-in-the-floor with water and no paper. This is a good skill to learn; trust me on this one.

By the way, Wilbur is actually a very talented musician, as well as a cultural ambassador extraordinaire. This is from his Wikipedia entry: “He is widely known as India’s first YouTube sensation. He has racked up nearly 3.1 million views for his unique music and instructional videos. And he comes with the added promise of ‘Quality, First Class, Sargunaraj Trademark.’ What his videos lack in production sheen, they make up for in unabashed entertainment.”

I will be profiling him on Breathedreamgo soon. We had a chance to meet while he was in Toronto and I found him to be a warm and wonderful person – and also very good-looking, behind his comic persona! Click more to watch the video.

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How to get ready to visit India

Mariellen — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:10:22 +0000

Photo of Naga Sahdu, Kumbh Mela, Haridwar India 2010 by Jean-Pierre Muller

India is a mirror: start polishing

Have you longed to go to India — but were daunted by not knowing where to start, what to bring, how to prepare or where to go?

India deserves its reputation for being both the most potentially transformative travel destination on earth — and one of the most challenging to newbies. There is magic in learning how to be in India: how to deal with the chaos, crowds, seemingly inefficient methods, bizarre contradictions, extremes of every kind, lower hygienic standards, heat, dust, and feeling that you are a target for every con artist, tout, tuktuk driver and shyster in the country.

But if India was just a nuisance and a challenge, it wouldn’t be India. Because India is also full of joy, celebration, devotion, colour, spectacle, kindness, warmth, openness, trust and beauty. Many foreigners — myself included — go to India prepared for the difficulties, and then find themselves surprised by how much India moves them. If you let India affect you, as I did, you might “fall in love” with the people and the place. And you might find yourself radically transformed. Notions once held dear are abandoned. Fears once harboured set sail. Narrowness is replaced with perspective, and judgement with compassion.

The trick to being in India is to be prepared – but not TOO prepared! Read on to find out the number one thing you need to know before visiting India. And also about a free information session I am holding on September 14, 2011 in Toronto.

Evening aarti in Haridwar, India during Kumbh Mela 2011

Attitude is everything

The first time I went to India, back in 2005, I took a suitcase full of medications for such things as malaria and diarrhea, a complete homeopathic kit, a mosquito net, an emergency medical kit that included gloves and syringes, a book about staying healthy in Asia, guidebooks and all kinds of other paraphernalia I found I didn’t need. The travel medical clinic in Toronto, and other sources I had consulted, had whipped me into a fear-frenzy!

And then I landed in India and found it to be a very civilized place. The medical centre I went to in Delhi was frankly superior to what we have in Canada; and the Indian family I was staying with (rightly) laughed at all my stuff.

After five lengthy trips to the subcontinent, I’ve learned to get the basics in place — and then just let India flow. Visas and vaccinations are important, but just as important is attitude. Going to India with the right attitude is the single most important thing you can do to prepare.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: India is a mirror. Whatever attitude you bring with you will be reflected back at you. If you bring fear, scary things will happen. But if you travel with a non-judgmental attitude, and with openness, trust, respect and genuine curiosity, you will have wonderful and life-changing experiences.

Getting blessed by temple elephants in Tamil Nadu, 2006

Getting ready to go to India

To get you ready to go to magical India, and find out what you need to know, do and bring, I’m holding a free information session, along with travel and tour expert Deborah Peniuk of AYA LIFE. You will be treated to some tasty Indian snacks, such as bhel puri, samosas and pakoras – the same types of foods you will see served in India.

The information session will cover:

what you need to know about getting a Visa for visiting India, and passport requirements
how to prepare your body and your mind: recommended vaccinations, suggested homeopathic and herbal remedies and cultivating a successful attitude
what to pack, what to bring and what you can expect to buy in India
all things money-related: how much to bring, how to change money, the currency system in India and exchange rates, etc.
a briefing on what to eat and drink – and what to avoid – while in India
what to expect in terms of transportation, sites, street life and people
how to visit temples and perform rituals

DATE: Wednesday, September 14, 2011 ~ 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
PLACE: Kama Indian Restaurant, 214 King St. West, Toronto

So please come with all your questions and I will answer them to the best of my ability. I have traveled for more than 14 months, alone, from one end of India to the other and I have amassed a wealth of experience to draw upon. If you can’t make it to the information session, email me at mariellen [@] breathe dream go . com or ask a question in the comments, below.

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The 7 links project: My 7 links

Mariellen — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 15:57:36 +0000

On the Ganges River in Varanasi, India

The 7 Links Project

I was one of the many travel bloggers nominated to share 7 special links. The goal of this project, started by Tripbase, is to ‘unite bloggers in a joint endeavor to share lessons learned and create a bank of long but not forgotten blog posts that deserve to see the light of day again.’ Though I am not a “rules person” (to say the least!), I will follow the rules on this one, which are:

1) Blogger is nominated to take part
2) Blogger publishes his/her 7 links on his/her blog – 1 link for each category.
3) Blogger Nominates 5 More Bloggers

Link #1: Most beautiful post

Arrggghhh, already stumped. I write about India because I feel it is beautiful, but I don’t really have the photographic skills to capture it. (However, hopefully all that will change with my evolving partnership with photographer Andrew Adams of Katha Images). I will have to nominate Aurovalley Ashram: A haven of peace and conscious living because it is about such a beautiful place — “my” ashram in northern India.

Link #2: Most popular post

Hmmmm, I would say it’s a tie between The top 5 things I’ve learned after traveling a year in India and The top 5 myths about India. (I’m not including the Eat, Pray, Love film ticket contest or a couple of Bollywood-themed posts.) I guess it’s true, those “top 5″ or “top 10″ posts do get a lot of mileage. Personally, I don’t do these posts lightly, even if the titles sound a bit trite. I spent a good deal of thinking and writing time on both of them, and I am glad they have been so widely read. I have learned a lot about life, and about myself, in India. It is, I always maintain, one of the most potentially “transformative” places you can visit, perhaps especially if you are from western society.

snake charmers in Jaipur, India

Link #3: Most controversial post

I don’t tend to write controversial posts. Even the posts I thought would be controversial, aren’t — such as Celebrating the women of India, which criticized a Globe and Mail newspaper article, specifically, and the journalistic style of writing, generally. The only post that provoked a backlash was the ONE time I waded into travel blogging drama and made a couple of “negative” statements. After receiving some much-deserved comments, criticisms and observations from other travel bloggers, I quickly recanted, realized it’s not my style, and learned a lot from the experience. (I deleted the statements, didn’t want them to continue to create negative reverberations.) I learned that it’s much, much better for me to remain true to my philosophy of positivity and to take a positive spin on things. For example, even though I am critical in Celebrating the women of India, you can tell by the title of the blog that I am offering a positive approach to the topic in question (sexism in India). I guess Sub-continental divide: How to write about India drew some thoughtful comments … back in the day when I didn’t realize I should jump in and respond! Doh!

Link #4: Most helpful post

I try to be helpful to people going to India, especially first-timers. I am the first to admit that India is tough on travelers, and there is a steep learning curve to being there. You have to learn how to handle huge crowds, chaos, assertive touts, wily rickshaw drivers, heart-wrenching beggars, much lower standards of hygiene, unsafe water — so many things! I pulled together a post that captures many of the advice-style posts I have written, and gives people a good place to start: Planning to go to India?

me and my Tilley Hat at The Farm Villa, near Ranthambhore, Rajasthan

Link #5: A post whose success surprised me

I don’t know about surprised, but I am humbled by the attention I get, and very grateful. I try to live up to the attention by working hard, writing consciously, trying to be open, non-judgmental and true to my vision and taking my subject, but not myself, seriously. This seems like a good moment to say thank you to anyone who’s ever read my work or my blog, and especially those who have commented. Thank you!

Link #6: A post that didn’t get the attention I feel it deserved

I have never worked so hard on a piece of travel writing as I did on this one, Crossing over in Varanasi, India — which, admittedly, was published by Canada’s largest-circulation newspaper (The Toronto Star) and triggered my favourite email ever, by travel editor Jim Byers, who loved it. I was just starting out and it meant the world to me to get such effusive praise by a guy who is known for being a bit crusty (charmingly crusty!). I consider myself a travel writer first, and a travel blogger second, so it’s the travel writing that I’m proud of; and the profession I want to direct my energies and intention towards. Even though it pays so badly. Yikes.

Link #7: Post I am most proud of

I had something I wanted to say about volunteering in Dharamsala as an assistant art therapist with Art Refuge — a program that helps Tibetan refugee children adjust to life in India — and I felt I captured it in Butterflies are free.

So, now I have to nominate five travel blogs that aren’t yet on the Tripbase list. Okay, how about:

Painted Stork

India outside my window

Feringhee: The India Diaries

White Indian Housewife

Final Transit

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New online Visa applications for India

Mariellen — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 15:21:37 +0000

Lake Palace Hotel, Udaipur, Rajasthan

CGI in Canada has announced mandatory online submission of Visa applications

The Consulate General of India in Canada (CGI) has introduced a new Visa application form. People in Canada desiring to apply for Visa to travel to India are required to go to Indian Visa Online or to the website of the outsourcing agency VFS Global and register their applications online. After registering online, the applicants must take a print out of their application and submit the application along with valid passport and other documents at one of the VFS Global offices. Their office addresses, timings, telephone numbers etc. can be found at their website, VFS Global.

They will continue to accept the old Visa form for the time being. The new form becomes compulsory from July 25, 2011. Any queries regarding online submission of visa applications may be addressed to VFS Global offices.

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Top 5 things I’ve learned after traveling a year in India

Mariellen — Tue, 24 May 2011 14:56:16 +0000

India is a teacher; travelers are students

People often ask me why I am so interested in India, why I like traveling there so much. There are lots of reasons, of course — from the warmth of the people, to the taste of the food; from the adventure of travel to the colourful festivals; from the flowing, feminine clothes to the sunny skies. The single most compelling reason, however, is probably the attitude towards god and spirituality — and how that attitude affects almost everything about the culture and atmosphere of India.

And what does that difference mean for me (and other spiritual seekers from the west)? It means that when I am in India, not only do I feel more alive than anywhere else (for the reasons listed above), but I learn a lot. I learn a lot about myself, about the world, and about spiritual truths. Here are the top five things I’ve learned in India.

1. Don’t worry, be happy

Door at Roopanghar Fort, Rajasthan

I’ve traveled for well over a year in India, most of it by myself. I’ve had to deal with crowds, chaos, delays, unhygienic conditions, culture shock, large insects, small rodents, illness and unwanted attention. Among other things. What I’ve learned from all of this is that everything works out. Not only does everything work out, deviations from your original plan sometime turn out far better than anything you could have planned. In fact, letting things happen, instead of trying to control them all the time, is the best formula for magic.

And even if it appears that things are not working out AT ALL, sometimes, it’s just our perception and understanding that is off. In fact, the universe is unfolding exactly as it should. When viewed through a certain lens, everything is perfect, and the universe is 100% supporting us; gently (and sometimes not so gently), guiding us towards our destiny and the lessons we need to learn to grow and learn. And best of all, it is absolutely within our control to view the universe through this lens, which some will call rose-coloured. I don’t know if it’s rose-coloured or not, but I do know that it makes for a much less tense, anxious, unhappy experience of travel, and thus of life.

I wrote an entire article about our control over our perception for Brave New Traveler, called Travel is an exercise in perception. To summarize, “we do not see the world the way it is; we see the world the way we are.” But not only do we see the world through only our own little window — which completely influences the way we see things — we can control how we see the world. India is a particularly good teacher of this truth because India is a very soft, pliable and responsive place: whatever attitude you travel with will be reflected back to you. If you’re frightened, you will have scary experiences. If you’re suspicious, you will be ripped off and even robbed. There seems to be a kind of instant karma at work.

This is why I always advise people to go to India with an open and trusting attitude. I genuinely love India, and genuinely trust (most) Indians, and this is why I generally have very good experiences there. Of course there are times when instinct teaches us to be cautious — and I always listen and respond to these feelings. It also helps that I have learned to trust myself, and that is the root of trust. Traveling in India is one of the most challenging things I have done, and the degree of self-confidence I have built up because of it is incalculable.

2. People are good

Okay, yes, there are exceptions … but when you put yourself in a vulnerable position, and when you open your heart with trust and faith and a feeling of goodwill towards your fellow man/woman, you will largely be rewarded with kindness. Sometimes extraordinary kindness.

Men helping me replace my mobile phone in Mumbai

I have so many stories of people helping me, feeding me on a long train ride when I didn’t pack enough food; walking me to my destination when I didn’t know the way; inviting me into their homes and even families. And I’ve heard loads of other similar stories from people traveling in India, and elsewhere. When you travel, you open yourself up in a new way, and give people the opportunity to help you. It’s a lesson in the interconnectedness of life.

India is, unfortunately, known for con men, touts and other unscrupulous characters who try to rip people off by over-charging and other shady practises, but even many of these people would help you if you needed it. Many Indians are poor and this explains their behaviour to a large degree. I have seen people change in front of me when they realized I was treating them with respect, or when I needed their help. There are very few “bad” people, in my view. (And of course if you think you have come across one of them, you should be appropriately cautious.)

3. Yoga is not about putting your leg behind your head

Giving alms to sadhus in Rishikesh

I studied and practised yoga for close to 15 years, even gaining a certificate in yoga teacher training, before going to India for the first time. I discovered that I had been swimming in a yoga pond; in India, I discovered a yoga ocean. There is no way to communicate how vast the difference is between the way yoga is taught and understood in India, as compared to in the west, if you haven’t experienced it. My understanding of yoga completely transformed in India.

The point of yoga is to still the mind so that you can experience the truth of your being. And what is the truth of your being? That we are all part of one god-consciousness; that we are made of bliss; that love is the basic substance of the universe.

Can you reach this understanding through the intense asana (physical) practise of yoga? Maybe. But that’s not the intention. Asana practise is intended to help you relax the body, and keep it fit and healthy, so it won’t distract you in your higher pursuits. It is a means, not an end. I wrote about this in What yoga is.

4. God is love

In India, I discovered a vision of spirituality that makes more sense to me than anything else I’ve come across — the advaita (or non-dual) idea that all life is part of one god-consciousness; that duality only exists in the field of time and space, and is illusory.

I agree with Mahatma Gandhi, who said, “I used to believe that god is truth; now I believe that truth is god.” I agree with Joseph Campbell who said, “People are not looking for meaning in life; they are looking for an experience of life.” I agree with Carl Jung who said that, “The purpose of human existence is to light a candle in the darkness of mere being.” And I understand why Buddha gave a teaching in which he simply held up a flower and said nothing.

My teacher, Swami Brahmdev of Aurovalley Ashram (who is a disciple of Sri Aurobindo), teaches something very similar: he teaches that the purpose of life as a sentient being is to increase our consciousness. We do this by having experiences, reacting, learning and growing. Life is basically a series of experiments, and, with the right attitude, you can see each one as an opportunity to learn.

5. Money does not buy happiness

Children at a Mumbai train station

In the consumer-oriented and materialistic west, we have come to equate money and happiness. However, in more traditional societies, like India, this link is not so resolutely forged (although that is changing with the rise of the urban middle class). It has been my experience that some of the happiest people I’ve met are also some of the least materially well-off. As long as people are getting their basic material needs met, they can be happy — with the right attitude.

The religious tradition in Indian teaches people to be content, to be grateful and to regularly thank and celebrate god for the gift of life and the beauty and abundance of nature. In traditional India, nature is considered sacred. And the society places a great value on family life and relationships. People know who they are, they are connected to their extended families, their communities and their roots. All of this makes for a base of people who are warm, generous and helpful, and who know what’s really important in life. And meeting people like this has been my experience traveling in India.

Every study on happiness shows these are the things that contribute far more to happiness than a big-screen TV, late-model car, huge house, fancy phone, designer shoes, wrinkle-free face and fat-free figure.

And for people who are afraid to travel to India because they don;t want to face the poverty, please read my Matador article India, poverty and the fear of traveling to poor places.

Summary

Seeing the universe as a loving, intelligent force that always has my best interests at heart — and learning to let go of the need to control, to let go of the need to “be” a certain way, and to surrender to the flow of life — has had an enormous impact on my experience of life. It’s made it much easier. And I am just a beginner on this path …

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Travel blogging 101

Mariellen — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 18:19:50 +0000

Photograph of Patnem Beach, Goa, India

How to get started as a travel blogger

Blogging while you travel can enrich your journey in more ways than one. It helps keep your friends and family back home informed, creates a permanent record of your trip and gives you the opportunity to take time to reflect on your experiences. Following are my top tips for getting started as a travel blogger.

First things first – you need to decide where to set up your blog. There are three main options:

Choose to be part of an existing site, like Travelblog.org. It’s quite easy to set up a blog on Travelblog.org, and you will be part of a like-minded community of travel bloggers.
Set up your blog on WordPress.com or Blogspot (I am a big fan of WordPress!). This is a bit more complicated than Travelblog.org, but still doable for most people. You can customize your domain name to a certain extent, but it will have WordPress or Blogspot in the name. There are certain restrictions – and risks – to this kind of blog. No advertising is allowed and your content could disappear.
For the more ambitious, and perhaps more technically minded, buy a domain name and use CMS software, like WordPress, to set up your own free-standing blog – this is what the professionals do. If you think you may want to get serious about travel blogging, you should definitely own your blog.

moi working on a travel blog in Goa - fresh from the beach!

Your blog can be a straightforward record of your trip, for example, “Jen’s European adventure,” or you can have fun with the theme and create a niche. There are bloggers who blog about solo travel, backpacking, family travel; there are destination-specific bloggers; and there are bloggers who blog about things like authentic travel or who look for quirky travel ideas.

The best way to find your niche is to find your passion. If you are passionate about a particular region or type of travel; if you are on a quest; if you have a story to tell – let yourself follow your passion. There are a million travel bloggers, but there is only one you. To stand out, be yourself.

Once you have decided on your approach and you have your blog set up, you can start contributing to it. You will need a digital camera and a video recorder – some cameras do both. You don’t need to buy an expensive camera as blogs do not need high-resolution photos or HD video.

Blogs that include photos and / or video are more widely read than straight text. Some travel bloggers, in fact, are strictly video bloggers; some are strictly photo bloggers. The mix is up to you – just make sure you have some visual elements and, as a rule, don’t write longer than about 300-400 words per blog

Write with your audience in mind, tell a story, be specific with your details and don’t be afraid to take a stand. Travel blog readers follow personalities. Create your personality on your blog and let it inform your social media efforts, too. Open a Twitter account and start a Facebook fan page for your blog. Most of all, have fun with it and allow your unique voice, world view and discoveries to shine through.

TIP: Join the Global Bloggers Network to meet other travel bloggers and ask questions.

[NOTE: Originally published on Verge Magazine's website. It was the winning submission for the Verge Storyboard contest, week of Feb. 21, 2011.]

Thank you for reading. Please visit BreatheDreamGo or stop by my Facebook page at Breathedreamgo.

Avoiding bed bugs, bacteria and bad guys

Mariellen — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:38:51 +0000

How to not get sick in India and other tips

These are my top tips for how to not get sick in India, how to avoid bed bugs and how to protect yourself from theft and other problems. Travel in India, and in so many other places, definitely has its challenges. But that’s no reason not to go. In fact, it often seems the greater the challenge, the greater the reward! The three biggest fears a lot of people have about traveling in a ‘developing’ nation seem to be bed bugs, bacteria and bad guys. (The other fear is confronting scenes of poverty, which I wrote about in Top 5 myths of India and India, poverty and the fear of traveling to poor places.) My own experience is that there’s usually nothing to fear but fear itself. A positive attitude, a healthy immune system, and liberal doses of resilience, resourcefulness, caution and common sense are usually enough to get most travelers through most situations. But here are some tips that I’ve discovered for dealing with the Big Three fears of insect, microbe and human kind.

Bed bugs

1. To avoid bed bugs in India, don’t stay at the Flea Bag Inn. In India, it is a badge of honour among some travelers — i.e. backpackers — to brag about how they only spent 150 rupees on their hovel, er, hotel. I don’t buy in to this at all. I have found that the backpacker’s ghettos are not only dirty, they are not a very authentic travel experience. (See my post Is backpacking in India a beaten path? for an explanation.) Paying a bit more — such as 500 to 1,500 rupees a night — can usually put you in a nice, clean guest house run by friendly, local people. And, if you show some genuine interest, they will probably be happy to help you experience the local culture.

2.Pack a sheet sleeping bag. I use a cotton one, but they also come in silk, which packs smaller and is warmer.

3. If you can get it, carry Rest Easy, a natural product you can use to spray around your bed to chase the bed bugs away. I carry it with me, but haven’t had to use it so far — so I can’t vouch for its effectiveness. It’s for sale in the USA, but not in Canada.

Bacteria

1. To avoid getting sick in India, and in many other places, it’s really the water you have to watch. Be very careful about the water you drink, and also the water used in ice cubes, drinks and some food preparations. You also have to remember to keep your mouth closed in the shower and brush your teeth with bottled water. In India, buy bottled water as a rule, and make sure the seal is intact. Also carry a stainless steel water bottle. Some places have reverse osmosis filters, and you can fill up your bottle for free.

2. There are no hard and fast rules about avoiding bacteria in food. You can eat street food and feel fine; and then eat at a five-star hotel and get sick (a lack of continuous power and spotty refrigeration is often the culprit). Make sure the food is fresh or freshly prepared, don’t eat raw foods (such as salads) or fruit, unless you’ve peeled it or washed it in a bacteria-killing solution.

3. Carry heat-resistant probiotics and either GSE (grapefruit seed extract) or oil of oregano, and take every day. There are homeopathic remedies you can use too — consult a naturopathic or homeopathic doctor before you go. The one thing I always carry with me from those small medical kits are the oral hydration salts pouches. If you get “Delhi-belly” you need to keep hydrated. Otherwise, I follow my “when in Rome” philosophy. In India, I eat lots of homemade curd (yogurt) and if I get sick, I consult a local doctor. They know what works for their particular brand of bugs.

4. I have never had food poisoning, which is a different problem than “Delhi-belly” (caused by ingesting bacteria or parasites). I’m not sure how to avoid it — it seems like it’s just the luck of the draw — or even treat it.

Bad guys

1. To avoid theft while traveling, keep your eyes open, be aware of the risks and travel with a couple of cables and good quality suitcase locks. I put everything valuable in my carry-on bag and lock it up, using the cable, to a solid piece of furniture. Sometimes, I will put my laptop, camera and/or passport in the hotel safe. It’s unfortunate that in some hotels and resorts, it is the staff who do the thieving. I am very sympathetic — they are often very poor people who clean up after a parade of people with iPhones, computers and high-end running shoes — but I don’t want to lose anything, so I am cautious.

2. I do the same thing while I’m traveling: I lock my bag to the bus seat or train bunk.

3. As a woman who travels alone, I am of course very cautious — even more cautious than at home. I don’t let people I meet during the day know where I’m staying, for example. In countries that are foreign to us, the way men and women relate is usually foreign, too. You have to be careful to make sure you’re not giving the wrong signals. In India, I dress very modestly, and in Indian-style clothes. I think this goes a long way towards being treated with respect and deference. I’ve been approached by sleazy men, but I shook them off pretty easily and I’m happy to report that I’ve never had a real problem. On the contrary, I’ve met a lot of very friendly, helpful and genuinely nice people during my year of travel in India.

4. In some countries, you do have to be aware of terrorist activity. And though you cannot, of course, anticipate where or when an attack will occur, it is wise to have a sense of the typical targets. I have never been to Srinagar or Kashmir because of this threat, and I also avoid places that are super popular with tourists. Terrorists attacked two of the most popular tourist hangouts in India — the Leopold Cafe in Mumbai and the German Bakery in Pune.

I love the Lonely Planet guide — it is a treasure trove of useful and interesting information — and I usually travel with it … but I have to say it: I sometimes use the Lonely Planet guide to decide where NOT to go. This tip might not work for everyone: if you’re in India to follow the well-trodden backpackers trail and meet up with other foreigners along the way, you need to know where they hang out. But I prefer to eat where the locals eat, shop where the locals shop and get to know the country and the culture.

Thank you for reading. Please visit BreatheDreamGo or stop by my Facebook page at Breathedreamgo.

The Taj Mahal of hotels

Mariellen — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 21:20:11 +0000

Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai, India

My love affair with the Taj Group

Many of the 66 hotels, palaces and resorts owned and managed by The Taj Group hold a special place in India’s cities. In some cases, they are linked with the city’s, and even the country’s, history. I don’t usually stay in the Taj Group hotels when I travel, but I often visit them for tea or lunch or just to have a few minutes of luxurious calm. I also have an interest in their historical and social significance, and their business practices. I have learned from interviewing staff members at several of their properties that Taj Group has one of the best training programs in the hospitality industry in India; and my experience is that the staff seem like extremely dedicated professionals. It is not only the buildings and decor that are stupendous — the service and food is excellent too.

Read on to find out about the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai, Taj West End Hotel in Bangalore, Taj Lake Palace Hotel in Udaipur and the Taj Palace Hotel in Delhi — and to see some glorious photos of these incredible places.

Why the Taj Mahal hotel reminds me of the Titanic

Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai, India

The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai (Bombay) reminds me of the Titanic. It is huge, impressive, luxurious, Edwardian, world famous and it suffered an unbelievable tragedy. The difference is, of course, that the Titanic rests at the bottom of the ocean and the Taj Mahal Place Hotel has risen like a phoenix from the ashes. Partially destroyed during the Mumbai attacks of November 2008, the hotel has been under construction for the last two years. It is now completely open.

There are few hotels in the world that equal the iconic status of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Legend has it that Indian industrialist J.R.D. Tata built it because he wasn’t allowed in the city’s leading British hotel. Since opening in 1903, the Taj has held both the pre-eminent social and geographical position in the city. When terrorists attacked Mumbai in November 2008, they headed straight for the Taj Hotel – knowing they were hitting a powerful symbol of Indian pride. The world watched spellbound as flames leaped from the windows of the grand building during the three-day siege.

Grand staircase, Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai

I toured the hotel last winter (February 2010) when most of the public spaces were complete (only the rooms in the Palace wing were unfinished at that time) and wrote about it in my post Meeting Maximum Mumbai. I had long wanted to visit this hotel, and to see it recover from tragedy and destruction has only increased my fascination with this landmark.

Over the week I was in Mumbai, I ate lunch at the hotel three times. Three times I escaped the bustle of the city to relax in the hotel’s luxurious interior and soak up the historic vibes. Once, I had lunch at Souk with Nikhila from the public relations team; once at the legendary Sea Lounge with Syerah, a friend from Toronto in and once by myself in the gracious poolside courtyard. Nikhila gave me a tour of the hotel and at the end, we stopped at the tasteful memorial to the people who died during the attack. It was a bittersweet moment: I was sad of course, and also bolstered by the Taj’s determination to regroup, recover, renovate and refuse to be bullied or cowed by cowardly acts of brutal terrorism.

The lush, green lungs of Bangalore

Taj Mahal West End Hotel, Bangalore, India

The Taj West End is, likewise, an institution in Bangalore. I visited in February 2010, and spent a wonderful afternoon eating lunch on the lawn and touring 20 acres of gardens and greenery. You can read about my visit in my blog The passionate people of Bangalore. The Taj West End’s green space is becoming an increasingly precious and important commodity as Bangalore expands and industrializes, and morphs from a small city known for gardens into a megalopolis known for being a world leader in Information Technology.

Tamarind gola at the Taj West End Hotel

When I suggested to my host, Benjamine Oberoi of the lovely – and comparatively modest – Casa Cottage, that she accompany me for lunch, she jumped at the chance. She knew I was touring Bangalore’s most important sites, and she said I absolutely had to go to the Taj West End. Not only is the hotel an iconic presence in the city – it is where she and her husband Bhushan courted 20 years ago.

I loved the quiet grace and luxurious foliage of the Taj West End and we had a delightful afternoon. I was impressed with the food, the grounds and especially the staff. They are very proud of the hotel and uphold very high standards of elegance, service, hospitality and food. At lunch I ate an India vegetarian feast, composed of small, spicy dishes. The highlight was Tamarind gola, a palate-cleansing sorbet that tasted like tamarind and was served in a dry ice.

On our tour of the grounds, I glimpsed two women doing yoga on the lawn, a herb and vegetable garden, several deep-blue swimming pools and a romantic outdoor restaurant, with some private seating areas swathed in gauzy curtains.

I learned that the Taj West End was the first hotel in Bangalore – it started as a rooming house – and that Dame Peggy Ashcroft stayed there when she played Mrs. Moore in the classic film A Passage to India. I would love to visit again, and can only hope the grounds are never developed. Bangalore needs the oxygen.

Tea and fantasy

Tea tray at the Taj Palace Hotel, Delhi

Delhi boasts two Taj Group hotels, but I am only familiar with the Taj Palace Hotel. I went there to have tea on my way to a nearby concert last year. My friend’s family supplied the bricks for this hotel when it was built, many years ago – so it has some personal connections. The Taj Palace is located in the diplomatic area of Delhi, on about six acres – it has a spacious feeling that only Delhi, of all India’s big cities, seems to afford. Many heads of state stay here (or at the nearby Maurya). I took a peek at several of the restaurants, but I was very happy with the tea lounge – they really do offer a wide array of teas as well as treats – and you can sit indoors, in slightly whimsical/fantasy surroundings, or outside by the lawns and pool. Very civilized.

Taj Lake Palace Hotel, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India

I wish I could say I visited the Taj Lake Palace Hotel in Udaipur, which is probably the world’s most photographed hotel, and one of the most famous — but when I was there, I had an uncharacteristic attack of fiscal responsibility and balked at paying 2,500 rupees (about $60 CDN) for the privilege of boating out to the hotel for lunch. Sigh. However, I stayed at a lakeside inn, and had a very nice view of the hotel from my room. One evening after dark, I had just returned to my room when the sky above the Taj Lake Palace hotel and Pichola Lake was lit up by an impressive and lengthy (half-hour!) display of fireworks. By a lucky coincidence, my window seemed to perfectly frame the display, as if it was purposefully arranged to accentuate the fantasy-like surroundings and the magic of India. This is why I keep going back.

Thank you for reading. Please visit BreatheDreamGo or stop by my Facebook page at Breathedreamgo.

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